Maison Chaumet has been inspired by natural elements ever since its inception in 1780, with water playing a significant part in jewellery designs. For the first time in its history, the brand has dedicated an entire Luxury Jewlery line to the sea. 'Ondes et Merveilles', which translates to ‘waves and wonders’, explores a range of perspectives to tell the tale of the sea in all its forms, from waves lapping the water's surface to undersea collectibles, ships in port cities, and Gulf Stream currents. A spectacular voyage, reflected in the stones that convey all the hues of the seas, is to be discovered in three chapters: Waves in Motion, Shores from Above, and A Thousand and One Sea Dwellers.
WAVES IN MOTION
This set Comprises three jewelry sets "On the Water's Surface," "Gulfstream," and "Breaking Wave" which convey a huge sea in motion as a real ode to life. The set stays faithful to the Maison's original aesthetic. The "On the Water's Surface" artwork magnificently depicts the movement of waves. Between full and empty areas, diamonds and white gold palmettes become brilliant reflections.
The "Gulfstream" collection includes cool and warm colors, such as green, blue and orange, and is inspired by the Gulf Stream.
Lastly, "Breaking Wave" pulls off the task of capturing crashing waves in full motion. This is brought to life through brilliant white gold and diamonds, fusing the inherent elegance of Chaumet's pieces with their bold character.
SHORES FROM ABOVE
Shores from above is also made up of three sets, "Golden Pebbles," "Under the Sun," and "Ports of Call" focusing on the Maison's attention on the shoreline between the sea and the land. Goldsmithing is one of Chaumet's distinctive crafts seen in the "Golden Pebbles" and "Under The Sun" sets, which feature vivid colors depicting the beach.
The "Ports of Call" jewelry set displays the Maison's love of color and is inspired by a pause in time, whether it be at a port or cove. Tourmalines and sapphires are combined with the remarkable brick-red spinels. A specific tribute to the ships that anchor at various ports of call is made by the marquise-cut diamonds.
A THOUSAND AND ONE SEA DWELLERS
The Maison honors the creatures of the sea and the treasures they guard with "Mermaids' Song," "Comets from the sea," "Treasure Hunt," and "Inks." These collections carry on the Maison's legacy of pearl work, is an astonishing assortment of fine pearls in many tones that interplay on creations with multicolored gems.
Finally, the unisex “Inks” brooches, an homage to the sea, humorously imitate sailors’ tattoos. Each brooch shows a priceless hand-engraved statement and is strikingly refined with Grand Feu enamel ornamentation.
The interchangeable jewelry pieces, which compete with one another in terms of style, detail, and femininity, allow for a wide range of looks: a head jewel becomes a brooch, a sautoir transforms into a short necklace, a climber earring has two ways to wear it, and a 6.05-carat diamond transforms from a ring that covers the finger bone to a solitaire mount.
With the ‘Ondes et Merveilles de Chaumet’ collection, the artists of the high jewelry atelier at 12 Vendôme once again pay homage to the jewelry savoir faire they are tasked with preserving and passing on to future generations.
